NHTSA — Engine Problems

CarComplaints.com Notes: The 1999-2003 Acura TL has a known & widespread defect with the transmission.

Honda fixed some vehicles with a recall in 2004 by changing the oil cooler return line. To settle a class action lawsuit in 2006, Honda extended the transmission warranty on some of these Acura TL's to 93 months / 109,000 miles.

Now these vehicles are past the warranty limit, so buyer beware.

10.0

really awful

Crashes / Fires:

1 / 0

Injuries / Deaths:

5 / 0

Average Mileage:

84,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

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2002 Acura TL Owner Comments

TL

TL

250,000 miles

Vehical slips out of gears while driving on the hwy also feels like the car wheels or maybe even the transmission locks up while on the hwy. A very bad jerk, it seems like the gears are locking up for a quick second after the jerk it will proceed on. The jerks. These jerks are starting to damage my suspension and also my gears.. there was asafety recall for the transmissoion gears.I have taken my vhical to Acura of cerrittos and they refused to inspect and notify me of my vehical transmission gears status they said there was a oil line that was added but they cant show me where the work was done. While driving my vehical home from the dealership Acura of cerritos this transmission gears started locking up so bad that the jerks injured me my girlfriend and 3 of our kids and damaged my steering and suspension. Please help

TL

miles

The contact owns a 2002 Acura TL. The contact stated that the gears had been slipping and slow to change over with a sudden jerk or lunge. The rpms would race intermittently once the gears changed and the engine and emissions warning indicators illuminated. The dealer (rivertown Honda, 4260 kenowa ave sw, grandville, mi 49418, (616) 667-4500) cleared the codes, but the codes returned on the instrument panel within 48 hrs. The contact was uncertain if the dealer could provide a solution after taking the vehicle back again with no specific repair solution. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V176000 (power train). The failure mileage was not available.

TL

170,000 miles

First off my driver side power window has never worked. I changed my window motor with the regulator twice. That did not fix my window. I changed my drivers master window module twice. I checked all of the fuses and the power window fuses were good. My power window still doesn't work after $400 in parts and $400 in labor. I took my car to the Acura dealership because my car had a few recalls. The person helping me at the dealership was real rude and disrespectful. He told me the only recall I had was for my SRS airbag. He had to order the part. I haven't received a phone call from the dealership to let me know the part was in. Two weeks later I go in and check if the part was I N. the same person that helped me came up to me and had an attitude and was disrespectful again. He told me the part was in but they can't service it that day. They never communicated with me. Horrible service at [xxx] Acura. I told the service guy that my car does not want to come out of first gear and there was a recall on my transmission. He was real rude and told me that I had to pay $6000. I did a little research and my 02 Acura TL type S with my VIN number has many recalls. 1 for my air bags. 2. for my transmission 2nd gear. 3 for my drivers power window. I told this Acura service guy that I had recalls for all 3 things and he laughed at me. My cluster fuse keeps blowing and the code that comes up is for my transmission range sensor. 70+ people with an 02 Acura Tls have had the same issues as me. I just contacted Acura and they told me that the transmission has been completed. No recall has been done on my car. I need help please. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

TL

miles

I bought my Acura February 2011. Since then I have had 2 transmission failures and have spent well over $1400 each time I got it fixed by the certified mechanic. I still have my receipts and only got a 1 year warranty first time and a 3 month warranty this past time. It seems like I am paying more for the transmission alone than the value of the car. The engine is great but I am afraid the transmission is going to fail again and I cannot afford to buy another car or fix the problem if it does fail again. This is a concern for me because the first failure was very scary for me and my family. We were driving up a steep hill to overview a city we visited and the transmission shut down and we were inclined. I did not know how to approach this situation with 3 minor children and as a single mother. It was very overwhelming and I was petrified. Then come to find out not so long later after getting the transmission fixed, the transmission went out again. I am very concerned and have blogged and read alot of complaints about this car. You can youtube google all kinds of info on these Acura with constant transmission problems. I think the manufacturer intended on this malfunction for profit as a automechanic. It is very unfair, unsafe, unjust with them selling cars that do not last 5000 miles and then have the transmission fail over and over. I am the owner of the 2002 Acura. Please keep me informed about this car and if there is any way someone can help me get warranty for free because it is really unfair. Thank you for your time and concern. God bless what you guys and girls are doing.

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